Preacher, Wife’s Child-Rape Trial Goes To Jury

The jury hearing the child rape case against Pentecostal preacher Robert “Roby” Roberson and his wife, Connie, began deliberations Friday night.

The Douglas County Superior Court jury received the case at about 7:25 p.m., after a day of closing arguments in which defense attorneys said “unholy alliances” of police, state child protection workers and others had sided against the Robersons.

Shortly after 9 p.m., the jury halted deliberations for the weekend. It is to resume its work at 8:30 a.m. Monday morning.

Roberson and his wife are accused of having sex with children at the East Wenatchee Pentecostal Church of God House of Prayer, where Roberson preached, and at their home.

The Robersons contend the charges were filed in retaliation for their criticism of authorities’ motives and methods in a larger sex-ring investigation.

The defense rested its case late Friday morning after Connie Roberson, in response to questions from her lawyer, denied each charge against her. In emotional testimony Thursday, her husband likewise vehemently denied every accusation.

Roberson is charged with four counts of first-degree child rape, four counts of first-degree child molestation and one count of third-degree child molestation.

Connie Roberson is charged with two counts of first-degree child rape and three counts of first-degree child molestation.

In closing arguments, Connie Roberson’s lawyer, Bill Parker, used a 24-piece jigsaw puzzle of Barney the purple dinosaur to illustrate what he believed was missing from the prosecution’s case.

“The picture has to be whole and complete. Each piece that’s missing should be a reasonable doubt for you,” Parker told the jury. “There’s a lot of pieces missing in this puzzle, too many pieces.”

Roberson’s lawyer, Robert Van Siclen, suggested there was a conspiracy against his client. Parker agreed.

“We’re not trying to say Bob Perez is a demon and he’s heading this whole thing up, but we’re trying to show you there are unholy alliances” among law enforcement, Child Protective Services and others, Parker said.

Bob Perez is a Wenatchee police detective who has investigated many of the child sexual abuse allegations and is foster father to a 13-year-old and her sister, both of whom are listed as victims in this case.

Prosecutor Steve Clem urged the jury to carefully consider the facts presented at the trial, which began Nov. 14.

“You have to look at the evidence,” he said.